Mercedes-AMG shows off first electric car, a 750hp monster

It’s raining electric vehicles at Mercedes-Benz this morning, following a huge information dump from the prestigious German manufacturer. On top of the EQG Concept reported on earlier, it has also shown off the new EQE sedan (the electric equivalent to the E-Class) and the Maybach EQS SUV Concept. More on those two later.

For now, let’s look at a car that might one day be seen as a watershed moment for German performance cars. On top of the above, Mercedes has also revealed its first electric AMG product; the AMG EQS 53 4Matic+.

The model predictably utilises a dual-motor set-up, with AMG revealing two different powertrain options; the standard variant that makes 484kW and 950Nm, and the optional Dynamic Plus package with boosts power and torque to 560kW and a whopping 1020Nm.

AMG claims a sharp 0-100km/h time of 3.8 seconds in the former and 3.4 seconds in the latter, with top speed limited to 250km/h. Fairly rapid for a 2655kg luxury sedan. Tesla faithful might scoff at these figures, but when you consider the EQS’ cabin you understand that it’s not really a direct rival for the likes of the Model S Plaid.

Those two motors are paired to a 107.8kWh battery, capable of up to 580km of range per charge, says Mercedes. This underlines how much the platform’s range has declined thanks to the additional output, given that the standard EQS can travel up to 770km per charge.

The stoppers have been beefed up, with 415mm discs with a six-piston caliper up front and 378mm discs with a single-piston caliper out back. AMG ceramics are also available, potentially boosting the size of the front discs to 440mm.

The model’s styling adopts most of AMG’s standard tropes. It gets an EV version of AMG’s ‘Panamerica grille’, although of course there aren’t any actual perforations in it. The front bumper, side skirts, and rear bumper are all new, with the latter adding a diffuser. And customers can opt for either 20 or 21-inch wheels.

Inside, meanwhile, there’s a new flat-bottomed steering wheel, bucket seats, sport pedals, and Mercedes in-house Artico faux leather upholstery with red stitching. There’s also a couple of AMG-specific menus in the infotainment system, one of which being the optional Track Pace telemetry screen.

There’s also a new audio system that Mercedes calls the AMG Sound Experience. It emits noise inside and outside of the car, seemingly designed to mimic traditional car sounds and changeable depending on which drive mode you have selected. We’re cynical about how this will work, but will reserve judgement until seeing it (or rather hearing it) in the flesh.

Given that it’s based on the high-tech EQS, it’s no surprise to see some of that model’s innovations featured here. Chiefly, the 53 also gets a four-wheel-steering system, capable of turning the rear axle’s wheels up to an incredible 9 degrees. This not only means a tighter turning circle and quicker rotation in more acute corners, but also more stability at higher speeds.

That aforementioned interior features the same incredible ‘Hyperscreen’ set-up, consisting of a 12.3-inch driver’s screen, a 17.7-inch primary central touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch passenger screen. All forming one big screen that goes from one side of the cabin to the other.

Overseas EQS 53 deliveries are scheduled to kick off in early 2022. Expect New Zealand to follow later in the year, with local pricing to be announced closer to release.